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The Age of Innocence @ The Londoner

4/27/2015

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Book Review

Somebody (Megan) didn't finish the book, and thereby missed the extremely important ending. However, she'll likely rate it pretty low anyway. Robert and Charity were pretty taken with it, and I fall somewhere in between.
The Londoner in Addison was our spot for discussing Wharton's Pulitzer-winning The Age of Innocence. It's a pretty perfect pub. They've got specials almost every night, and the food, which ranges from Indian to English to Big Boy Mac'n Cheese, is good. The decorations are fun, and there are several nooks in which you can hole-up and have conversations without shouting over the noise. We came on Monday's Trivia Night, and it was mildly entertaining--though the trivia is geared to a slightly older crowd and the questions are read by a tall, foul-mouthed guy who claims the game is rated "M" for "immature." I think we were able to live down to that description.
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14930 Midway Rd, Addison, TX 75001
The book is something of a satire on the neutered lives of the very rich in late 19th century New York, but it masquerades as a love story. Newland Archer wants to marry the perfect and innocent May Welland--his social equal, but once her hot, scandalous cousin comes to town, Archer switches loyalties immediately.  He wrestles with his feelings, and we get to meet the high society characters that surround and judge them, but the ending is pretty excellent. I admit to being bored in the middle, but ultimately, I like Wharton's take on the hypocrisy of this age. The protagonist is certainly not any hero, but his flaws help elucidate the novel's theme. (Megan, by the way, doesn't buy any of this).

Some memorable lines about opera:
“She sang, of course, "M'ama!" and not "he loves me," since an unalterable and unquestioned law of the musical world required that the German text of French operas sung by Swedish artists should be translated into Italian for the clearer understanding of English-speaking audiences.”

Star Count

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Robert--5
Charity--4
Kim--3
Megan--1

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Wild @ Murrell ParkĀ 

4/11/2015

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Book Review

Megan and Robert liked it, I was indifferent, and Charity disliked it. The problem was Cheryl. She's your basic, white, over-sharing, unapologetic, horny protagonist. But she does manage to make an incredible journey. Her outward journey is something worth reading. It's a rugged, American journey at it's core, and it'll make you want to get some boots and dehydrated tuna, and trek across the country. 
Last night we did our weak imitation of camping in Murrell Park on Lake Grapevine.  The camp has a nifty online registration process, and a campsite is $10 per night. (However, they do not allow booze, and the view is less than we hoped for. Megan was less than impressed). We started a fire, but our moldy Walmart logs didn't burn so well. There was some good brush for kindling nearby, and in the  end, we were able to cook hotdogs and roast marshmallows for s'mores. Robert brought dehydrated risotto from the REI store, and it was pretty good when cooked. 

Campfire --check
Peeing in the woods--check
Freedom--check
Sleeping under the stars--nope, went home
Hiking--nope, too dark.
Pretty sunset--check
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880 Simmons Rd, Flower Mound, TX 75022
Her inward journey is what we care less about. She ties the roots of her hike to her mother's death four years previous and her recent divorce from a marriage she ruined by straying. Hiking the PCT is supposed to be her salvation, to fix her. If it had, it would probably have been a more satisfying story.

Warning: Salty language, gory foot scenes, sex, death, and cannibalism.

Star Count

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Megan--5
Robert--4
Kim--3
Charity--2.5
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    Author (Kim)

    I'm the chronicler of our adventures.

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